WELL-GROOMED long hair, his trademark beret and a big, welcoming smile. Almost all of Niseko’s tourists know who he is, or have seen him at least once. The face of Hirafu Village, Takanori Tachibana, is a famous concierge at the Welcome Centre. Powderlife talked with him about tourism and the future for the new Niseko.
How long have you been in Niseko?
I was born in the Mashu Lake area, and moved to Kutchan when I was one-year-old. I left Kutchan for a few years in the middle, but I could never forget how fun skiing was and how great it was to live right next to the ski slopes. I followed my dream back to this area and started working at the Welcome Centre when I was 23 years old. I can say that my incredible passion for skiing has led to the job I have now.
What do you see as the main function of the Welcome Centre?
Interestingly, at the Welcome Centre, we don’t really see any decrease in the number of tourists. Even though the media has said the world financial crisis would deter people from coming to Niseko, people continue to need the Welcome Centre. Our motto is welcoming people and giving any information they desire. Many tourism companies in town have a lot of information, but sometimes it can be geared towards their own business relationships. Because we would like to see all the companies do well, we elect to provide everything that is available for the guest in search of having a great time in Niseko.
Having worked at the Welcome Centre for nearly 32 years, what do you see as a major change in the village?
I can say the number of the foreign tourists has risen rapidly. I started noticing a very small number of foreigners 10 years ago. I remember visiting my friend at his pension during that time, and he had his very first guests from overseas. Although we had to primarily use our hands to communicate with them, it was really fun having somebody from a different country and culture. Having foreign guests made Niseko into the international ski resort we see today. Being a fan of Niseko myself, it is great to know that so many people choose this area for their holiday destination.
Can you tell me about some of the Niseko activities in summer?
In the summertime, we operate the gondola for hiking, and we also have lots of onsens in this area for guests to enjoy. People are becoming more aware that Niseko is a very nice place throughout the year. At the same time, Niseko was built mainly as a winter resort. I’m not 100 per cent sure if my personal work leads to an increase in the number of summer visitors, but I do put a lot of effort and spend many hours doing community service activities. Last summer we did a clean up of the town, which involved overseas visitors, local Japanese and Japanese from every part of Japan. To see people who love this town take care of the place they live was amazing. After the town cleanup, we had another 50 people join us in re-creating the hiking trail from Hirafu to Niseko Village. I think if you show enough love for where you live it inspires local people to be motivated about tourism as well. This year we will have an even bigger cycling event, and have many other plans to attract visitors in summer and to involve locals. It can be a slow process but I see more tourists coming each year during the summertime.
What future plans do you have for this area?
My main goal is to have a peaceful coexistence with people from overseas, local Japanese and Japanese from different areas. Niseko is not only a place to get amazing powder, but to experience an atmosphere and community where everyone helps each other. Our main goal is to encourage people to come back again and again. I would like to see more people smiling not only because of the great skiing, but also because of the surrounding community. As a concierge at the Welcome Centre, hearing from the guests “I am back!” is the best reward.
What are your top three tips for visitors?
1. Challenge yourself to climb the peak
2. Explore 15 different styles of onsens in Niseko
3. Taste the mouth-watering seafood from two bodies of water (The Japan Sea and the Pacific Ocean)